Religious India & Wildlife Tour
Duration: 11 Nights / 12 Days
Places Covered: Delhi - Patna - Bodhgaya - Varanasi - Khajuraho - Agra
- Mathura - Vrindavan - Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur - Jaipur - Delhi
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Mahal & India Vacations
Day 1: Arrival Delhi
Arrive
at New Delhi’s International Airport and transfer to hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 2: Delhi
Today you will visit various temples, a mosque and yoga ashrams. Overnight at
hotel.
Day 3: Delhi - Patna - Bodhgaya
On the morning, take an early morning flight southeast from Delhi to Patna,
then transfer to our luxury coach for a drive south through rural central Bihar
State to Bodh Gaya. Bodh Gaya is the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment,
and the most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in the world. After hotel check-in,
you will have a full-day guided tour of the area as we follow in the steps of
the Buddha. In this large working Buddhist center, you will see the descendant
of the Bodhi tree under which the Buddha sat, as well as numerous international
Buddhist monasteries built in their respective country’s styles.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 4: Bodhgaya - Varanasi
After breakfast, drive west from Bodhi Gaya into Uttar Pradesh state and to
Hinduism’s holiest pilgrimage city, Varanasi, the "City of Light."
Also known as Bewares or Kashi, Varanasi is the oldest continuously inhabited
city in the world. It is here that all Hindus aspire to come once in their lifetimes
to bathe in the Ganges River from the ghats, or landings, all along the river.
This act of worship releases the soul from earthly samsara, or the cycle of
life, death and rebirth, caused by ignorance. We will have the opportunity to
perform this ritual release as we take a holy dip in the Ganges River. We will
also enjoy an inspiring sunrise boat ride along the river’s edge to view
the temples and the ancient rituals of the thousands of pilgrims who worship
here daily. Free time will be given to roam this ancient city independently.
Afternoon you will also have the opportunity
to visit the Buddhist sacred site of Sarnath, where the Buddha taught his first
sermon about the Four Noble Truths in Deer Park. During our evenings in Benares,
we will meet with scholars in fields such as Sanskrit, Ideology, Buddhism and
Tantra. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 5: Varanasi
Day in Varanasi to explore the city and temples. Overnight at hotel.
Day 6: Varanasi - Khajuraho
On the afternoon take a short flight westward to the world-famous temple city
of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh state. The erotic sculptures of these 22 temples
date back to the Chandela Dynasty of the 10th century AD. They have been linked
to everything from Tantric cults to Kama Sutra instruction to a carved depiction
of the marriage party of Shiva and Parvati. Regardless of their origins, they
depict a joyful ode to the source of all life, and are India’s unique gift
to the world. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 7: Khajuraho - Agra - Mathura
Morning free for independent activities. In the afternoon, take a short flight
to the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh state to visit the legendary Taj Mahal,
one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This tastefully ornate and architecturally
perfect mausoleum was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife,
Mumtaz Mahal, and is said to be the most extravagant monument ever built for
love. In addition to the Taj, we will visit Agra Fort, the Old City, and the
nearby city of Mathura, the birthplace of Krishna. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 8: Mathura
Day to visit the temples.
Day 9: Mathura - Vrindivan - Agra -
Fatehpur Sikri - Bharatpur
In
the morning leave for the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri, Built between 1569
and 1585 by the great Moghuls emperor Akbar, this unusual ghost city fuses both
Hindu and Muslim artistic traditions, in reflection of the unique tolerance
of this Muslim emperor. It was abandoned after 16 years due to a shortage of
water. In the afternoon, continue a short distance west into Rajasthan state
to arrive in the traditional town of Bharatpur, where we will stay in a beautiful
heritage hotel, formerly owned by a royal family of Jaipur. This small town
is also home to the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary, a World Heritage site, and one
of the finest bird sanctuaries in the world. In the evening, walk down to the
town to visit with the village inhabitants as they create hand-woven carpets.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 10: Bharatpur - Jaipur
At dawn on the morning, enjoy a cycle rickshaw safari/boat ride in the Keoladeo
Bird Sanctuary. The 29 square kilometers of swamps and lakes here constitute
one of the most important heronries in the world, with such species as the dazzling
purple heron, the common grey and the tiny brown pond heron. Other species include
orange-headed painted storks, snake-like darters, spoonbills, white ibis, egrets,
coots, shovelers, widgeons, kingfishers, and grey pelicans. From October to
March, the 120 species of Indian birds who live in the park year-round are joined
by another 130 species from as far afield as the Russian steppes and Central
Asia, including the rare Siberian crane, only 125 of which are estimated to
survive in the entire world. Along with birds, other species present include
wild boar, mongoose, spotted deer, blue bulls, antelope, jungle cats, hyenas,
jackal’s otters, pythons and Indian black buck. This is definitely a sanctuary
that even non-birders will enjoy!
After a relaxed breakfast, drive west to
the traditional Rajasthani city of Jaipur and check into hotel, In the afternoon,
take a guided city tour of Jaipur, the "Pink City," to include the
honeycomb pink and white-faced "Palace of the Winds," the magnificently
ornate City Palace, and the incredible sherbet-yellow astronomical observatory,
which operates through the use of the sun’s shadows to identify the positions
of the planets. Overnight at hotel.
Day 11: Jaipur - Delhi
In the morning, take a guided excursion through the Amber Fort and Raj Mahal
Palace complex. Built by Raja Man Singh beginning in 1592, this ancient capital
is a superb example of Rajput architecture, stunningly situated on a hillside
and overlooking a lake, which reflects its terraces and ramparts. Enjoy a sturdy
uphill ride to the palace atop a colorfully decorated elephant. In the palace,
visit the Shila Mata Temple, dedicated to Goddess Kali in her aspect as the
Goddess of War. Later in the afternoon, drive back to Delhi in Uttar Pradesh
state, and check into hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 12: Delhi
Breakfast will be at hotel.
Transfer to airport in time for flight home with sweet memories of India.
Religious India & Wildlife Tour, Religious
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